Lychee Martini
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 28.2% ABV ∙
The Lychee Martini is a stirred gin-and-vodka cocktail built with lychee liqueur and dry vermouth, finished with a dash of Creole-style bitters. Lychee's floral, honeyed sweetness leads, backed by a juniper-and-grain spine and a faint spiced bitters edge that keeps the finish dry rather than syrupy.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 25 mlVodka 25 mlLychee liqueur 25 mlDry vermouth 15 mlCreole-style bitters 1 dash
- Strain into the chilled martini glass
- Garnish with a lychee
Tips
- Stir, don't shake — the spirit-forward build should stay clear and silky, not aerated or cloudy.
- Use a fresh or well-drained canned lychee for the garnish so it doesn't dilute the drink as it sits.
- Pre-chill the martini glass before straining so the drink doesn't start warming the moment it's poured.
History
The Lychee Martini emerged in New York City in the early-to-mid 1990s, part of a wave of flavored martinis that also produced the Cosmopolitan and the Appletini. Its exact origin is disputed among several claimants. Many accounts trace it to Sake Bar Decibel, a Japanese sake bar that opened in Manhattan's East Village in 1993, where owner Bon Yagi introduced a lychee syrup-flavored vodka martini he said had already been served at his brother's bar in Tokyo, though a later Decibel manager credited an in-house predecessor with inventing it on-site. Others point instead to Clay, a Mott Street restaurant where chef Edward Lee served a version built from lychee liqueur, soju, and lychee juice, or to Vong, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's fusion restaurant, while some note that Indochine had served a related lychee saketini since the 1980s. From these downtown bars, the drink spread through the 1990s and 2000s into Asian-fusion restaurants and nightclubs such as Tao, Ruby Foo's, and Nobu, becoming a signature of that era's cocktail scene before later falling out of critical favor and, more recently, being revived by a new generation of bartenders.
FAQ
What alcohol is in a Lychee Martini?
It's built on both London dry gin and vodka, rounded out by lychee liqueur, which gives it a fuller spirit base at about 28% ABV.
Is a Lychee Martini better with gin or vodka?
This recipe uses both rather than choosing one: the gin lends a juniper-forward backbone while the vodka keeps the lychee liqueur's fruit character clean and unmasked, balancing dry and sweet.
Which vermouth is best for a Lychee Martini?
Dry vermouth is the right choice, and it's what this build uses. Its herbal, slightly bitter edge cuts the sweetness of the lychee liqueur without competing with the fruit, whereas a sweet vermouth would push the drink too far toward dessert territory.
How do you make a Lychee Martini?
Pre-chill a martini glass, then stir the gin, vodka, lychee liqueur, dry vermouth, and a dash of Creole-style bitters together with ice. Strain into the chilled glass and garnish with a lychee. Stirring keeps the drink clear and silky rather than aerated.
What kind of liquor is a Lychee Martini?
It's a gin-and-vodka based cocktail rather than a true martini, with lychee liqueur providing its defining flavor. The name comes from its stirred method and martini-glass presentation rather than a classic gin-and-vermouth formula.
